A fine Saturday saw Sandra and I following up on information from Richard Yank regarding Eastern Least Clubtail Stylogomphus albistylus (Gomphe à styles blancs) in the Mulgrave et Derry area, north of Thurso, QC. The information was spot on and two superb insects entertained us as they sallied off to chase the larger Fawn Darner Boyeria vinosa (Aeschne vineuse) away. There were a few photo ops that we happily took including a Fawn Darner ovipositing. The clubtail was a lifer and the darner a QC tick and it was a first chance to photograph both species. The site was by McKinnon Bridge on the quiet Smallion Road north of Lac Blanche.

Flushed with success we continued along the road a short way until a lake appeared on the left. Here Slaty Skimmer Libellula incesta (La voluptueuse) were common and a welcome Quebec tick. Also present in numbers were Violet Dancer Argia violacea (Argie Violacée) and an Aurora Damsel Chromagrion conditum (Agrion à tache jaune). Heading back past McKinnon Bridge to Jones Bridge where more Fawn Darners were present along with Dragonhunter Hagenius brevistylus (L’hagénie), Prince Baskettail Epitheca Princeps (Épithèque princière)and a Zebra Clubtail Stylurus scudderi (Gomphe de Scudder), always great to see.

In need of food and water we took the unpaved road towards Montpellier, stopping several times at various lakes by the roadside. Lots of odes were flying and we added Calico Pennant Celithemis elisa (Célithème indienne), Northern Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus (Leste disjoint), Lyre-tipped Spreadwing Lestes unguiculatus (Leste Onguiculé) and Hagen’s Bluet Enallagma hageni (Agrion de Hagen) to the growing day list. We saw 23 species.

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Help me use this blog to promote the watching of dragonflies in Nova Scotia, send me your sighting and I'll put them up here. If you see something you can't identify, photograph it and I'll try to ID it for you. Contact me at therealmarkdennis@gmail.com

Past lives

This used to be my old Quebec ode blog - I am now using it for NS odes but the QC stuff remains for those interested.